Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse cranks it to 11 with its killer soundtrack, bold colors, and slick animation to keep up with its wide variety of characters. The depths Phil Lord explored in the world of Spider-Man with his screenplay are splattered across the screen; from quick quips to many serious moments, his screenplay connects the audience to this world as if they were the ones thrown in from another dimension.

Even though it is beautifully animated like a 2-Dimensional comic book, you can feel that you are in Brooklyn. The Brooklyn bridge makes an appearance several times, but it is the characters that fill the space and the graffiti sprayed on the billboards put you on the streets. The atmosphere of the city feels cluttered and chaotic; the chase scenes are constantly dodging between taxis and civilians, while car-horns and rap-music bounce between buildings with reactions and emotion. These details that fill the background and crowd around the isolated cast make the city its own character.

Because of the crowd of characters that fill up the runtime in this film, several had to be ignored to build up the core cast. Miles Morales follows the classic Spider-Man story, but this time he is surrounded by Spider-Heroes that have already made it—some of them have even burned out. Everyone looks down on him, expecting him to automatically be something great. There are several moments in his development that expose real struggles of growing up, and it does not hold back on what Miles has to fight through to finally realize what he can be. Peter Parker tries his best to see Miles differently from the others, but cannot even face his own problems of being an actual adult; he would rather give up than right his wrongs, but he is the only one that can teach a kid unable to control his suddenly changing life. The interactions between these two characters is both fun and dynamic with the mentor-apprentice-moments as well as the realization that neither are fit for the role of Spider-Man.

Spider-Ham, Peni Parker, and Spider-Man Noir are the comedic-relief back-ups to support the emotional weight of the main story through fun action and unique animations. The depths of their characters are mainly referenced from their own comic books, but the passion in bringing these fun superheroes to the big screen shows through. They bring out the fun, and even hold real emotional punches by the end.

Gwen Stacy and Kingpin are the only characters that needed more development. Miles’ growing attraction towards Gwen is overshadowed by his relationship with Peter Parker and only develops to a common subplot. Kingpin was the main villain, yet his army of villains around him had more quirks and interesting character moments. He mainly served as the hulking, intimidating force opposing the Spider-Heroes from getting home. He has a reason for his methods, and it pulls out his humanity in small moments, but the story does not expand on his past to its full potential. Kingpin stands as a strong villain in this film, but the surprise twists of several other antagonists bring them closer to the spotlight.

Overall, this film was a surprise hit. The music was powerful, the action was flashy and packed throughout, and the characters held strong against the surrounding noise. It has heart, it has emotion, and it brings out a relatable story of learning to get back up, no matter what is in your way.

Story Rating: 8/10

Character Rating: 7/10